Suffolk lawmakers will make a final decision on the proposal to take over more than 1,480 miles of state-maintained roads next month.

Some Suffolk City Council members have recently expressed concerns about feeling rushed into a decision. Nonetheless, the council on Wednesday agreed to hold a public hearing and final vote on the matter at its Feb. 16 meeting.

Mayor Bobby L. Ralph called for the action, saying the city is already late in giving the Virginia Department of Transportation the answer it had requested by January 2005.

&uot;It’s important for us to honor our commitment, to be a man of our word,&uot; Ralph said. &uot;I think this needs to become the council’s burden to deal with now.

&uot;It is a complex issue. We have been looking at it for four years and spent six months of staff time on it,&uot; he continued. &uot;If we are still wrestling with a decision, then maybe we should say no.&uot;

VDOT requested a decision so the agency could begin planning its own budget, Ralph said.

Councilman Charles F. Brown questioned whether the city could do anything to help VDOT employees understand that they would be given priority consideration for city employment if Suffolk takes over the roads.

&uot;Any of those folks interested in becoming part of the city will have the opportunity to be considered,&uot; Ralph said. &uot;We want them and we will need them if we do this.&uot;

But the city is not in a position to guarantee lateral transfers to anyone, Ralph said.

&uot;I don’t think that should be the driving force of our decision,&uot; he said.

Meanwhile, Ralph called for city staffers to begin planning public forums to gather citizen input about the direct election of mayor. He expects that issue to come before council by early summer.

allison.williams@suffolknewsherald.com